Few days to the U.S. Presidential election, a Chinese monkey predicted that Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump would win but back home, controversial ‘Prophet’ T.B. Joshua predicted a Hillary Clinton victory.

“Ten days ago, I saw the president of America with a narrow win… What I frankly saw was a woman,” T.B. Joshua had said while the Chinese monkey described as the “king of prophets” tipped Trump for the US presidency. The monkey was reportedly given a chance to pick between life-sized cut-outs of Trump and Clinton.

“After “deliberate thought”, the mystic monkey chose Trump,” Shiyanhu Ecological Tourism Park said in a statement on its website. “Without even waiting, he congratulated the cardboard candidate with a kiss on the lips.”

The five-year-old monkey had previously correctly predicted Portugal would win the 2016 European football championship in July. In fact, Chanakya III’s predecessor, named Chanakya II, also predicted the results of the Euro 2016 football competition.

It is obvious that T.B. Joshua did not hear from God but picked his prediction from the polls reported by CNN and other western media. One is then beginning to question the integrity of these religious merchants and so-called men of God. When men attempt to predict the future but their predictions fail, that constitutes proof that the person is a false prophet and not a true spokesman for God. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 is unambiguous about this: “You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” Numbers 23:19 says “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?”

Unfortunately, most Nigerians are blinded by religiosity and believe in ‘prophets’ more than in God. Perhaps it is because we live in a superstitious society, and these so-called prophets have a very good understanding of human psychology. They tell people what they want to hear. They provide layers of truth mixed with error, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. Jesus’ warning, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits”, largely goes unheeded among the flock.

The other time, one of the religious merchants claimed God told him unequivocally he would become President of Nigeria. He told us he heard directly from God. But he did not become President and I know he will not become President of this country. Yet people flock to his church in droves. The same man claimed God chose a woman to be his wife, but few months later, the marriage could not stand. Will God build a home that will pack up in no time like a bicycle made in China?

Anyone who understands the truth about God knows that God does not make mistakes. Not one. Never. Those who prophecy falsehood are certainly not of God. Jeremiah 23:30-32 is clear on this: “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,.. I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,.. They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.”

It is clear that even Chanakya III the monkey is closer to God than T.B. Joshua. I advise that we all “test the spirit” of those we follow; shun undue religiosity and heed Ezekiel 13:17-19,22: “Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them and say,.. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live… Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wickednot to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives…”

Copyright 2017 Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.

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